The invention is directed to a novel and improved core sleeve for toilet tissue, and perhaps other household paper products, which is designed and constructed to have secondary utility. Typically, toilet tissue sold for household use is provided in rolls, wound upon a hollow core sleeve formed of a paperboard material. When the roll is exhausted, the core sleeve is simply discarded. Pursuant to the present invention, however, the core sleeve is constructed in a manner to accommodate secondary utilization as a convenience device, for example, as a one-way travel pouch or the like.
Pursuant to the invention, a core sleeve for toilet tissue or the like is provided with longitudinal score lines extending along diametrically opposed lines of the core sleeve enabling the sleeve, after the tissue has been entirely removed therefrom, to be compressed and partially flattened over its full length to form a hollow tube having a cross section generally in the form of two opposed arcs joined along the opposed longitudinal score lines. At each end, the core sleeve is formed with a pair of arcuate fold lines, each intersecting with the opposed longitudinal fold lines, substantially at the end extremity of the sleeve. These arcuate fold lines define generally crescent shaped, integral end flaps adapted to be folded inwardly to form opposed, concave end closures at each end of the partially flattened hollow sleeve.
Pursuant to the invention, after the core sleeve has served its original and primary function, it is re-formed into a disposable pouch which can be usefully employed as a travel convenience item, for example.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and to the accompanying drawings.